Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Tempe shared a reflection about rights of conscience in the church's Oct. 18 bulletin.

“G.K. Chesterton once famously advised against moving what may look like a needless fence until you know why it was put there in the first place,” the Rev. John Bonavitacola said in the bulletin. “Case in point is the argument over conscience rights of conscientious objection.” 

This belief states that if a person has a good enough reason, they are able to refuse to participate in certain deeds that they believe would be harmful or would violate their conscience. One example that comes to mind is fighting in war. 

“More recently the issue of conscience rights has surfaced in regards to medical providers who refuse to participate in certain non-therapeutic medical procedures that they deem immoral or harmful actions such as abortion or sex reassignment surgery,” Bonavitacola said. “On the other side the argument is that there is no individual right to refuse to provide a procedure when requested by a patient.” 

Some pharmacists have refused to fill abortifacient prescriptions, believing that it is against their rights of conscience.

“A principle is a principle even when it doesn’t provide the outcome you prefer," Bonavitacola said. "Without objective moral principles everything becomes a matter of subjective will or political preference or convenience.... Objective moral principles and their consistent application are what help a society to be just.”

When faced with a poor set of options, let us remember that there are some actions that are intrinsically evil. 

“This does not mean that we dismiss or ignore other threats to human life and dignity," Fr. Bonavitacola said. "In fact, trying to eradicate all serious threats to human life and dignity is the way in which we participate in public life and contribute to the common good. For Catholics, our participation in the democratic process should be influenced by our faith; the consistent moral framework of the Church; as well as the virtues of justice, prudence, temperance and courage.”